NBA Notes: Jazz, Jaren Jackson Jr, Wizards, Alex Sarr, Mavericks

Jazz

Utah’s big swing at the deadline just hit pause.

Jaren Jackson Jr. will miss the rest of the season after doctors identified a localized pigmented villonodular synovitis growth in his left knee.

The Jazz say the issue was discovered during an MRI as part of his post-trade physical, and surgery is scheduled for the All-Star break.

Jackson only appeared in three games with Utah, but the idea was clear. Supersize the frontcourt, pair him with Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler, and see where it goes. The results were promising on the surface, with Jackson averaging 22.3 points in limited minutes and Utah going 2-1.

There is no urgency here. The Jazz sit 18-37, sixth-worst in the league, and owe Oklahoma City a first-round pick if it falls outside the top eight. Getting Jackson healthy for camp matters far more than squeezing wins out of March.

The long view remains intact. Jackson and Markkanen are under contract for multiple seasons, and Kessler is expected to be retained. This is about fall, not spring.

Wizards

Washington’s timeline is even clearer.

Alex Sarr will be sidelined roughly two weeks with a hamstring strain, knocking him out of Friday’s Rising Stars game and likely carrying him through the All-Star break. He was already held out of recent games, and the Wizards have no reason to rush him back.

Sarr has quietly delivered a strong second season, averaging 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks, and has cemented himself as a cornerstone after going second overall in the 2024 draft. Protecting that investment is priority number one.

Washington owns the league’s second-worst record at 14-39, with a top-eight protected first-round pick. Winning games right now is not the mission.

The situation got thinner Wednesday, with Tristan Vukcevic missing time due to illness, forcing an ultra-small lineup. Anthony Davis also remained out amid mixed signals about whether he will return at all this season.

Sarr’s absence is manageable. The draft odds matter more.

Mavericks

The post-Mark Cuban era continues to take shape, quietly.

Marc Stein of The Stein Line reports that Cuban’s influence inside the organization is already fading, despite a brief return to the inner decision-making circle following the firing of Nico Harrison.

Sources tell Stein that co-interim general managers Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley made last week’s Anthony Davis trade call on their own.

Riccardi reportedly addressed the team after the deadline to explain the direction and set expectations, a notable signal of who is steering the ship.

Stein also notes that the 2023 sale agreement allows the Dumont and Adelson families to further reduce Cuban’s minority stake, potentially as low as seven percent, through December of 2027. Their firm public denial of sale rumors may have been as much about internal boundaries as external noise.

Cuban told Stein he has not spoken recently with governor Patrick Dumont, though interest from outside groups remains steady if an opportunity ever opens.